Direct bilirubin and the neutrophil-to-monocyte ratio timely predict intensive care unit admission in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 infection (COVID-19)

Abstract

Objective: Intensive care units (ICUs) collapsed under the global wave of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Thus, we designed a clinical decision-making model that can help predict at hospital admission what patients with COVID-19 are at higher risk of requiring critical care. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in 119 patients that met hospitalization criteria for COVID-19 including less than 30 breaths per minute, peripheral oxygen saturation 0.315 mg/dl together with the neutrophil-to-monocyte ratio (NMR) > 15.90 predicted up to correctly in 92% of the patients the requirement of intensive care management, with sensitivity of 93.2%. Preexisting comorbidities did not influence on the tree growing. Conclusions: At hospital admission, DB and NMR can help identify nine in 10 patients with COVID-19 at higher risk of ICU admission.

Keywords

• COVID-19. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2. Direct bilirubin. Neutrophil-to-monocyte ratio. Clinical decision-making model. Classification and regression trees.